Archless door frames for open-hearth furnaces



Sept. 6 1955 H. A. SHIFLET ARCHLESS DOOR FRAMES FOR OPEN-HEARTH FURNACES Filed April 6, 1951 Inventor ##eer ,0. 590 257, AMQZL $3 Adi-45L United States Patent ARCHLESS DOOR FRAMES. FOR- OPEN-HEARTH FURNACES Harry A. Shiflet, Greenock, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application April 6, 1951, Serial No. 219,636 I 5Claims. (Cl. 122-499) This invention relates generallyto open-hearth furnaces such as are used in steel-making and, in particular, to the archless door frames customarily installed on the charging side thereof.

Archless door frames have come into extensive use in recent years. They have an elongated inwardly projecting lintel or nose intended to make close contact with the bottom flange of the arch binder or skew-back channelsupporting the furnace roof, to protect it and keep it cool by the continuous circulation of water. Such frames are ordinarily provided with lifting eyes or loops at the top thereof for suspension by a crane during installation. Because of the overhang of the furnace binding (specifically the channels connecting the upper ends of the buckstays) beyond the final position. of the frames, they cannot be lowered directly into place or swung into position flush with the channel by the crane alone. It is necessary, therefore, to push the legs inwardly by hand While the frame is suspended at a suitable level, .set the lower ends .thereof behind the sill plate and then push the top of the frame inwardly While slacking the crane lines.

There must be suificient clearance for the nose-to pass the bottom of the skew-back channel as the door ispushe d home but this leaves a space between the top of the nose and the bottom of the channel when the frame is in final position, thereby preventing proper cooling of the channel and exposing it to the furnace heat to some extent. It is necessary,-therefore, to --wedge upthe frame so that a securing web plate on top thereof can be bolted to an angle-bar on top of theskew-back channel. Thus the installation of a door frame is not only a difficult,

awkward and tedious task butthe mounting when completed is not very secure at best. The holes for the securing bolts are intentionally made oversize to facilitate alinement.

ing and closing of the door causes the frame to drop slightly, with the results mentioned above. Alternatively, the flexure ofthe skew-back channel under the furnace heat may cause separation between it and the nose.

Even if the frame does not drop under the impact of door operation, considerable difficulty is encountered when replacement is necessary. Frequently, on removal of the securing bolts, the frame is held up by accumulations of material under the legs so that it is impossible to tilt the top of the frame outwardly because of interference of the nose with the skew-back channel, until the sill plate has been removed and the space under the legs has been cleared out. Thus both the installation and removal of archless door frames as heretofore constructed are not only laborious but also consume considerable time during which, of course, the furnace is out of production.

I have invented a novel construction for the archless door frames of open-hearth furnaces which wholly overcomes the difficulties aforementioned. In a preferred embodiment, I provide a door frame with hanger means Consequently, when the frame is mounted and the door placed thereon, the impact due to the open- 2,716,967 Patented ,Sept.- 6, .1955

at thetopthereof and I mount a pivot bearing on :the skeW-backchannel for engagement by said means. I also provide the .frame .with lifting lugs intermediate: the.;top and bottom thereof. I further provide a sectional .sill plate having end blocks :which maybe removed to permit the lower ends of the legs of the frame to clear the sill plate proper.- Thus I amenabled to suspend-.the-frame from the lugs by a crane in inclined position with thectop extending under the buckstay channels so that the hanger means can hook onto the pivot bearing :whereupon the frame may be permitted to swing downwardly to ,final position,:bringing the nose up under the lower-flange of the channel in direct contact therewith. The removable sill blocks are then replaced to secure the frame in position. The reverse-.of the installation operation permits the .ready removal of a door .frame for replacement thereof.

Acomplete understanding of the invention may ,be obtainedifrom thefollowing detailed description andexplanation which refer to the accompanyingdrawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment. Inxthe drawings,

Figure 1 isja front elevation showingmy improved mounting means. on a doorframe and a portionof the SkGW-habk channel with whichit cooperates;

Figure .2 is .a sectionron the plane of line .I-I-II of Figure 1 showing-the sectional sill plate in plan;

.Figu e 3 is a sideelevation showing a portionof-fthe furnace roof and the skew-back channel supporting it .in Se i n; a

Figure 4 is a partial section through the top of {the frame and the skew-back channel taken on the ,plane of line lV IVof Figure .1.

' Referring now in detail tothe drawings,.a water-cooled archlessdoor frame 10 comprises a body portion -;11.having spaced legs 12 depending therefrom. ,Thebody portion hasflatwise engagement with the web of askew-back channel 13 supporting thearched roof 14 ofthe-furnace and;the legs. extend downwardly to a sill plate .15 disposed on j t he side-wall 16.of -the,furnace. The frame -has an elongated laterally projecting nose or .lintel 17 adapted t rl liake .contact with v the bottom flange -of the channel 13. As best shown in Figure .4, a securing flangeinthe form of a ,bar .18 is disposededgewise on top:.of the frame 33nd extends ,therealong for substantially the ,full width of the frame. ,Hook means inthe formof spaced lugs 19 project laterally fromfiange 18 .ontheinner side o'fdheframe. The lugs have a downward projection 19a at:t he ,end thereof which gives them-somewhat of a hook shape.

A pivot bearing for lugs 19 .on the-skew-back-chaunel .13 isatfordedby a roundbar .20 extending along the top of the channel and welded .thereto. It will be apparent immediately that .the relation of the lugs 19 and bar 20 is suchas ,topermitthe door frame to tilt about the inner edge of its top wall to facilitate installation or :removal. Duringthese operations, ,the .frame .is suspended from .a crane in the inclined position .shown .in dotted lines in Figure 3. The frame has ears 21 intermediate the top and bottom thereof adapted to receive the hooks of a rope sling.

Sill plate 15 is composed of a body portion 15a and removable end blocks 15b. The adjacent surfaces thereof are of tongue-and-slot conformation. The body portion bridges the distance between the inner walls of the legs. The blocks 15b, of course, are removed when the frame is being installed. When the frame has been lowered into place as shown in Figure 3, the blocks 15b are secured in position and serve to hold the frame against the side wall 16.

During installation, the frame, suspended in inclined position, is brought toward the side of the furnace and is manipulated to cause the lugs 19 to fit over the bar 20. When this engagement has been effected, the frame is lowered by the crane operator and swings downwardly into vertical position, thus bringing nose 17 up into snug fitting relation with the bottom flange of channel 13. When it is desired to remove the frame for replacement, it is only necessary to take out blocks b, attach a suspending sling to ears 21 and swing the frame outwardly to the dotted line position by a lifting crane. the lugs 19 may be easily disengaged from bar 20 by proper manipulation after which the frame is suspended entirely free of the furnace.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the doorframe of my invention has numerous important advantages. The greatest of these is that installation or removal of the frame may be accomplished within a very short time, thus keeping the duration of shut-down to a minimum. Secondly, the frame is supported at all times so that its nose is in direct contact with the lower flange of the skew-back channel and cannot be separated therefrom by any shock or impact resulting from violent opening and closing of the doors. The frame is securely anchored in position when in use but can be very easily removed when replacement becomes necessary, the only preliminary operation being removal of the end blocks of the sill plate. Finally the location of the lifting ears permits the frame weight to be carried entirely by the crane during both installation and removal. This has a further advantage of greater safety for operating personnel than the method of installation necessary with the 2 door construction heretofore provided.

Although I have disclosed herein the preferred embodiment of my invention, I intend to cover as well any change or modification therein which may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. The combination defined by claim 2 characterized by said hook means being lugs spaced along the frame adapted to project over said heating and releasably suspend the frame therefrom.

2. In an open-hearth furnace including an arched roof and a horizontal skewback channel supporting the roof on one side of the furnace, the combination therewith of an" archless water-cooled door frame including a body portion in fiatwise engagement with the web of said channel and spaced legs depending from the body portion, said body portion having an inwardly projecting nose adapted to bear up against the bottom flange of said channel, a pivot bearing on top of one of said frame and channel and hook means on the other whereby said nose clears said bottom flange on outward tilting of the frame about said bearing, said hook means having a sloping surface engaging said bearing and exerting a wedging action tending to raise the frame on movement of the body portion thereby away from said channel.

3. In an open-hearth furnace including an arched roof and a horizontal skewback channel supporting the roof on one side of the furnace, the combination therewith of an archless water-cooled door frame including a body portion in fiatwise engagement with said channel and spaced legs depending from the body portion, said body portion having an inwardly projecting nose adapted to Th ereup on bear up against the bottom flange of the channel, a round bar extending along the top flange of the skewback channel forming a pivot bearing and hook means secured to the frame, said bar and hook means cooperating to pivotally suspend the frame from the channel and causing the nose to clear said bottom flange on outward angular movement of the frame about the top thereof.

4. In an open-hearth furnace including an arched roof and a horizontal skewback channel supporting the roof on one side of the furnace, the combination therewith of an archless water-cooled door frame including a body portion in flatwise engagement with said channel and spaced legs depending from the body portion, said body portion having an inwardiy projecting nose adapted to bear up against the bottom flange of the channel, a pivot bearing on top of one of said frame and channel and hook means secured to the other, said bearing and hook means cooperating to pivotally suspend the frame from the channel and causing the nose to clear said bottom flange on outward angular movement of the frame about the top thereof, a fixed sill parallel to said channel extending be tween said legs but terminating short thereof and a block removably positioned adjacent one end of the sill in front of one of the legs.

5. In an open-hearth furnace including an arched roof and a horizontal skewback channel supporting the roof on one side of the furnace, the combination therewith of an archless water-cooled door frame including a body portion in fiatwise engagement with said channel and spaced legs depending from the body portion, said body portion having an inwardly projecting nose adapted to bear up against the bottom flange of the channel, a pivot bearing on top of said channel and hook means secured to the frame, said bearing and hook means cooperating to pivotally suspend the frame from the channel and causing the nose to clear said bottom flange on outward angular movement of the frame about the top thereof, said hook means comprising an upstanding flange extending along the top of said frame, and lugs spaced along said flange extending laterally thereof beyond the inner face of the frame and adapted to engage said pivot bearing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 238,411 Lowell Mar. 1, 1881 725,581 McLaughlin Apr. 14, 1903 812,728 Deppe Feb. 13, 1906 1,118,358 Knox Nov. 24, 1914 1,118,428 Knox Nov. 24, 1914 1,168,648 Knox Jan. 18, 1916 1,343,675 Hyatt et a1. June 15, 1920 1,529,193 Lewis Mar. 10, 1925 1,818,402 Jones Aug. 11, 1931 1,819,467 Jones Aug. 18, 1931 1,831,461 McAfoos Nov. 10, 1931 2,132,507 Baker Oct. 11, 1938 2,246,402 McDonnell June 17,.1941

FOREIGN PATENTS 407,683 Great Britain Mar. 20, 1934 

